Carpet seaming tape



June 9, 1959 A K. B. MILNEs '2,890,145

` CARPET SEAMING TAPE Filed Aug. 19, 195e ATTORNEY United States PatentOffice Patented June 9, 1959 lCARPET SEAMING TAPE Kenneth B. Milnes,Meadowbrook, Pa.

Application August 19, 1958, Serial No. 756,040

4 IClaims. (Cl. 154-49) This invention relates to carpet seaming tapeand more particularly to a tape for joining the edges of pile carpetingto provide a seamless appearance on the upper face.

Various tapes and the like have heretofore been proposed for joining theedges of pile carpeting from below, but none of these has proven whollysatisfactory. With certain of the prior seaming tapes, the floor beneaththe tape was damaged or scored or had objectionable deposits of adhesivethereon. With other prior seaming tapes there was insuilicientabsorption of or adherence of the adhesive to the carpeting and to thetape so that a strong joint was not provided. With other prior seamingtapes an excessive time was required for drying of the adhesive appliedbetween the tape and the carpeting.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a carpetseaming tape capable of rapid production on available equipment andwhich is free from the objectionable features of prior carpet joiningtapes.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a carpetseaming tape having the components thereof assembled in an improvedmanner.

lt is a further object of the present invention to provide a carpetseaming tape which can be employed for direct mounting of the edges ofthe carpet thereon and without the necessity for turning the carpet overafter joining the edges.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will beapparent from the description and claims.

The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be morereadily understood from the following description, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings forming part thereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a piece of the carpet seaming tape inaccordance with the invention showing the mode of use thereof;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the carpet seaming tape shown inFig. l;

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of one of the cleats employed on thetape; and

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal central sectional View of the cleat shown inFig. 3.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawingsherein are illustrative merely, and that various modifications andchanges may be made in the structure disclosed without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, two strips of floorcovering and 11 of woven pile fabric are shown, having edges 12 and 13which are to be held in assembled relation on a floor.

The tape in accordance with the present invention is shown generally at15, the strips 10 and 11 being in substantially equally overlappedrelation thereto upon the completion of the seaming.

The tape 15 preferably includes an elongated backing strip 16 of paper,kraft paper transversely creped, being preferred because of itselasticity along the longitudinal axis. Creped kraft paper of a weightof the order of 45 pounds per ream has been found suitable.

The strip 16 can be of any desired width, one specific embodiment beingof a width of the order of four inches.

A warp knit fabric is provided preferably having a central line of chainstitches 17, and spaced parallel inner and outer lines of chain stitches18 and 19 on each side thereof. The chain stitches 17 are preferably ofcontrasting color, such as black, with respect to the lines of chainstitches 18 and 19, which can be white in color, so that the centralline 17 can serve as a gauge line for application of the carpet strips10 and 11.

The yarns from which the lines of chain stitches 17, 18 and 19 are madecan be of nylon, rayon or other twisted fibrous material yarns of about600 denier having been found satisfactory.

Filling strands 20, transversely disposed on the upper face of the paperstrip 16 are incorporated into and bound by the lines of chain stitches17, 18 and 19 in the warp knitting operation, and may be of any desiredmaterial, and are preferably of rayon, although berglass, cotton, orjute can be employed. The lling strand 20 can be of zero twist toenhance absorption, and two strand per stitch 1650 denier yarns havebeen found suitable. Yarns of 1150 denier have also been found toproduce a satisfactory result.

It will be noted that the lines of chain stitches 17, 18, and 19 extendthrough the paper backing strip 16 in engagement therewith, so as to bevisible on the back or lower face of the strip 16, the paper strip 16being supplied to the warp knitting apparatus so that the lines ofstitches 17, 18 and 19 hold the lling strands 20 in firm engagement withthe strip 16.

At spaced intervals along the outer face of the filling strand 20,cleats 21 are provided, preferably of thin resilient sheet metal. Thecleats 21 have body portions 22 of a length of the order of two and onehalf inches, or slightly more than the distance between the outer linesof chain stitches 19 and are provided along their side marginal edges 23with struck up points 24. The points 24 along one side edge 23 can faceor be inclined slightly in one longitudinal direction while the points24 along the opposite side edge 23 can face or be slightly inclined inthe opposite longitudinal direction.

The body portions 22 have struck downwardly therefrom, preferably atlocations corresponding to the central line of stitches 17 and the outerlines of stitches 19, gripping tongues 25 and 26, which extenddownwardly through the strip 16 and under and in holding engagement withthe portions of the lines of stitches 17 and 19 which are exposed on theback or under face of the strip 16. The terminal ends of the tongues 25are disposed upwardly or away from the under or lower face of the strip16 so as not to project in scratching engagement with the oor.

In use, the seaming tape 15 constructed as described, is placed with itslower face or back on the Hoor at the location where the edges 12 and 13of the strips 10 and 11 are to be secured together.

A suitable adhesive, which can have a base of rubber, natural orsynthetic, in a suitable evaporative solvent is applied as a band to theupper face of the tape 15 in the area between the outer lines ofstitches 19, and the carpet strips 10 and 11 are applied thereon withtheir edges 12 and 13 in meeting relation. The points 24 will engage inthe pile fabric from below and aid in preventing separation of the edges12 and 13, or creeping of the tape 15 during drying of the adhesive andsubsequently.

With the construction described, ample absorptive area for the adhesiveis provided on the upper face of the tape 15 with tendency to depositadhesive onto the oor being minimized. The cleats 21, in firmly grippedengagement with the strip 16, do not have any portions which would tendto scratch or mar the floor While at the same time an eiective grip onthe pile fabric is effected by the upstanding points 24.

I claim:

1. A carpet seaming tape comprising an elongated paper strip, aplurality of spaced parallel longitudinally extending lines of chainstitches, a continuous transversely disposed filling yarn on the upperface of said strip, said lines of chain stitches being in holdingengagement with said filling yarn and said paper strip, and a pluralityof spaced transverse cleats overlying said filling and extending betweenthe outermost lines of chain stitches, said cleats having body portionsand a plurality of gripping tongues extending through said strip each ingripping engagement with one of said lines of stitches.

2. A carpet seaming tape comprising an elongated paper strip, aplurality of spaced parallel longitudinally extending lines of chainstitches, a continuous transversely disposed lling yarn on the upperface of said strip, said lines of chain stitches being in holdingengagement with said iilling yarn and said paper strip, and a pluralityof spaced transverse cleats overlying said iilling and extending betweenthe outermost lines of chain stitches and in engagement with said paperstrip, said cleats having body portions withiupstanding points and aplurality of gripping tongues extending through said strip each ingripping engagement with one of said lines of stitches.

3. A carpet seaming tape comprising an elongated transversely crepedpaper strip, a central longitudinal line and inner and outer parallellongitudinally extending lines of chain stitches, a continuoustransversely disposed iilling yarn on the upper face of said strip, saidlines of chain stitches being in holding engagement with said fillingyarn and said paper strip, and a plurality of spaced transverse cleatsoverlying said filling and extending between the outermost lines ofchain stitches and in engagement with said paper strip, said cleatshaving body portions with upstanding points and a plurality of grippingtongues extending through said strip, certain of said tongues being ingripping engagement with the central line of stitches.

4. A carpet seaming tape comprising an elongated transversely crepedpaper strip, a central longitudinal line and inner and outer spacedparallel longitudinally extending lines of chain stitches, `a continuoustransversely disposed filling yarn on the upper face of said strip, saidlines of chain stitches being in holding engagement with said iillingyarn and said paper strip, and a plurality of spaced transverse cleatsoverlying said filling and extending between the outermost lines ofchain stitches, said cleats having body portions with upstanding pointsand a plurality of gripping tongues extending through said strip,`Certain of said tongues being in gripping engagement with the centralline of stitches and others of said tongues being in gripping engagementwith the outer lines of stitches.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS605,978 Shepherd .Tune 21, 1898 2,552,114 Reinhard May 8, 1951 2,727,295Wright Dec. 20, 1955

1. A CARPET SEAMING TAPE COMPRISINGAN ELONGATED PAPER STRIP, A PLURALITYOF SPACED PARALLEL LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING LINES OF CHAIN STITCHES, ACONTINUOUS TRANSVERSELY DISPOSED FILLING YARN ON THE UPPER FACE OF SAIDSTRIP, SAID LINES OF CHAIN STITCHES BEING IN HOLDING ENGAGEMENT WITHSAID FILLING YARN AND SAID PAPER STRIP, AND A PLURALITY OF SPACEDTRANSVERSE CLEATS OVERLYING SAID FILLING AND EXTENDING BETWEEN THEOUTERMOST LINES OF CHAIN STITCHES, SAID CLEATS HAVING BODY PORTIONS ANDA PLURALITY OF GRIPPING TONGUES EXTENDING THROUGH SAID STRIP EACH INGRIPPING ENGAGEMENT WITH ONE OF SAID LINES OF STITCHES.